Christmas Shopping
by CiliaReturning
Summary: Just a innocent piece of Holiday fluff for you proud few B/W fans out there. Buffy is out buying her Christmas gifts when something catches her eye that would be just perfect for Willow. Now includes Willow too and Giles as well oh and Faith.
1. Chapter 1

_The Author Speaks: I'm taking a break from my other story while my Beta-reader has exams, but I can't stop writing and since I was in the Christmas spirit I wrote this little one-shot. Enjoy and Merry Christmas. It's Buffy and Willow of course what else would I write _

**Christmas Shopping  
>Cilia<strong>

Buffy Summers carefully worked her way through the mob of people crowding the mall in the rush before the Holidays. In her hand she clutched a Christmas Gift List with almost all the names but one crossed out. Giles check, Faith check, Xander check and Dawn check.

One very important name was left and that name written in blue ink with a red heart dotting the 'I'. That name was Willow. She'd borrowed Willow's cool multicolored pen to write her list on the pain of death if it was not returned.

Still no matter how much she thought about it she was at a total loss for what to get her girlfriend of the past six months. Warm fuzzy toe-socks would look so cute on her but they didn't quite scream I love you with all my heart and I'm so sorry it took me ages to figure it out.

Then without knowing why she found herself standing outside a jeweler-shop window in a quiet corner of the mall. Her eyes drawn down to a simple golden ring with a single green stone set in it and her mouth went dry.

'Oh boy stop thinking like this Summers,' she thought to herself checking her list hoping she'd find anybody else needing a gift. Finding only the even harder people to shop for were left she sighed and looked back at the ring on display in the window.

'I mean it don't look that engagement-like does it?' she tried to argue with herself. 'Hold on, hold on engagement? What am I thinking?' she stopped herself again, but she was leaning so close to the glass that her nose was pressing on it and it was fogging up.

She jumped when there was a tap on the glass from the inside and woman with grey hair and wire rimmed glasses perched on her nose smile at her. She pushed her blonde hair behind her ears and sheepishly waved back. Then with the jeweler mouthing; "Come inside." Buffy steeled herself and entered the shop.

The woman was already pulling the ring out of the window when Buffy stepped inside and the entire store felt a little out of place in the modern and busy mall. Almost like a heaven of peacefulness with a sort of old-timey feel to it.

"I was sure you were trying to push your head through the glass dear," the woman said smiling at her in a way that reminded Buffy of her mother.

"Sorry, it was just so pretty and well… there is this... person…" Buffy stammered a bit. Even though she was dating her long time best friend and emotional rock she was still not out enough like Willow to just say it to just anybody. Which made her think she was crazy for looking at that ring when she couldn't even 'Bitch up' like Faith would say and admit that she had a girlfriend.

"Oh stop that. Is it a boy or a girl I don't care dear," the jeweler huffed at her. Sounding almost offended that the young woman would think that she'd take any kind of offense at who she was buying the ring for.

"A girl ma'am," Buffy said almost snapping to attention like a solider under inspection.

"That's nice, been together long?" the jeweler asked handing Buffy the ring so she could look at it up close without head-butting the storefront.

"Six months, two weeks and four days," Buffy blurted out without even realizing that she'd been keeping that much track of her time with Willow, but when death is part of the job description you learn to relish in every moment you are given.

"Well I've got a lovely box for it if you're interested," the woman said with a sly grin on her face as she moved behind the counter.

"Thanks… I… I mean it's not been that long that it's time for…" Buffy stammered before trailing off and just looking at the ring in the palm of her hand. It felt like it weighted a ton. Still she knew why it felt so heavy she knew all too well. If she did this she'd have to live not just for her sister Dawn she would have to live for Willow. If she did this she would have to be even more careful when on the job. Because dying on your girlfriend is one thing, dying on your wife was a whole different matter.

The jeweler watched the blonde young woman staring at the ring, thinking that the poor thing looked about ready to panic and run for the hills.

"You in the military?" she asked having seen her fair share of young men staring at rings like that to know the look. "You worried that you'll make her a widow?" she probed further.

"Sort of… yeah I sort of am in it… well I do the type of stuff I'm not allowed to talk about," Buffy lied as smoothly as she could while nervously smiling at the woman. It wasn't a big lie since the difference wasn't that great, she fought to protect those she loved and there was always the risk that her next outing being her last.

"I see, then ask yourself this: Wouldn't you rather she knows just how much you love her?" the kindly jeweler asked and pulled out the simple black velvet box that went with the ring.

Buffy looked up at the woman with a look of dawning comprehension on her pretty face. Either this lady was a life-coach or radio psychologist in her off-hours or she just knew how to make a sale. Nodding her head firmly she strode up to the counter and put the ring down with a bit more force then was needed.

"I'll take it," she said her voice shaking a little, but her mind was firmly set now. It was time to make an honest woman out of Willow.

"Good choice, I'm sure your Willow will love it," the woman smiled at her and Buffy couldn't help but to smile back because she always liked the sound of that: Her Willow. She paid for the ring in a daze with a goofy grin on her face and said thank you to the jeweler and the woman just nodded at her telling her not to put it in anything edible, as it never ended well.

Buffy stepped out of the store with the ring secure in the inside pocket of her jacket .She checked the list again because you always check it twice. Even though her list did have some naughty names on it she was a firm believer of goodwill to all.

'Oh poppy-pants what do you get a vampire for Christmas?' she thought to herself seeing the next name on the list.

With a cheerful smile on her face she got swallowed up by the mass of humanity in the mall. The endlessly looping Christmas music drifted into her ears and she felt the ring box poking at her a bit, but that didn't bother her one bit. Christmas this year would be the best and she was going to make sure of it. 'Willow Rosenberg-Summers,' she thought with a goofy grin as she turned into Pottery Barn hoping to find a nice jug that could stand up to some microwaving.


	2. Chapter 2

**Christmas Shopping  
>Cilia<strong>

_ Author's talkie time: Last chapter it was Buffy, so now it's Willow and she has to answer some questions and survive the dangers of wrapping. This is an open ended story so if people let me know they want more I'll probably write more :)_

**Chapter 2**

Willow Rosenberg sat on her bed, correction her and Buffy's bed and wrapped up the last few Christmas and Hanukkah gifts for her friends and family. She stopped as she was folding a fluffy turtleneck sweater with Reindeers on it held it up for a moment and then pouted.

'Why can't Buffy be a little taller because I'd love to borrow this one, heck I'd love to borrow just one thing of hers,' she thought and smiled as she folded the size too small, for her at least, sweater. She then carefully pulled the sparkly green wrapping paper around it and fumbled for the tape she'd put on the nightstand.

'Oh curses… can't reach… almost… crap I'm falling…' she thought in a panic as she tried to reach the dispenser stand holding the tape with her fingertips. Then with an almighty crash she found herself sprawled out on the floor.

"Poop," she muttered blowing a lock of red hair out of her eyes as a shadow fell over her. Who could this be? Everybody was out doing last-minute stuff she'd been the only one, as always, with the foresight to plan and shop early.

"Red, you got any… tape…" Faith giggled a little staring down at the sprawled out witch on the floor clutching the tape in question in her hand.

"Here," Willow grunted holding up the tape as the dark Slayer grabbed her by the arm and hauled the red-head to her feet.

"Thanks," she smiled at the dark haired slayer and smoothed down her green sweater. "You done shopping too?" she asked sounding more than a little bit surprised.

"Shush don't tell anybody," Faith laughed and put a finger to her lips before giving an exaggerated wink at the slightly confused red-head. Willow kept giving the dark-haired woman a questioning look but her only answer was a shrug.

"Fine, don't tell me then, but you can help me wrap mine now that you're here," Willow huffed and pointed for the dark Slayer to sit down. With a raised eyebrow the slayer folded her arms across her chest in defiance, but Willow kept pointing until she sighed and just sat down.

Sitting back on the bed with a smile Willow started wrapping up the sweater again as Faith watched. Humming Rudolf the Red nosed Reindeer Willow bobbed her head back and forth as she carefully wrapped Buffy's gifts.

"Hold," she ordered and the dark-haired woman obeyed. "Good Slayer," Willow giggled and Faith almost gave her the finger.

"So that what you call Buffy eh?" she asked and almost right on cue the red-head's face started to match her hair.

"None of your business," Willow mumbled and got even redder.

"Gee Red, if Rudolf is out sick this Holiday season you could fill in for him," Faith laughed. With a little growl Willow reached out and stuck a piece of tape to the teasing woman's nose.

With the red head smirking in some sort of odd victory moment and the dark haired Slayer looking cross-eyed down at the piece of tape stuck on the end of her nose, both girls broke out into a fit of giggles.

Pulling the tape of her nose with an unneeded ouch Faith looked as seriously as she could muster at Willow who was wiping tears from her eyes.

"No honestly you guys doing okay right?" she asked and Willow gulped but nodded her head. Faith couldn't help but to smile back at the witch. "Good," she said simply. "That's… good," she added.

"Why, why do you ask?" Willow asked and tried to busy herself getting that annoying bit of tape that never seems to come off your finger off.

"Oh Goddess! Please tell me you aren't holding a torch for her… or me… or please no capital D drama this Christmas, Faith please!" she blurted out as her mind flew into full blown panic mode.

This was her first Christmas with Buffy as girlfriend and girlfriend, as Slayer and Witch and it had to be perfect, no demons, no evil exes and no end of the World.

"Wow, wow, relax Red! I was just asking if she makes you happy. Jesus, a bit on edge this season?" the dark-haired Slayer asked. Willow's response was that she tried to pull herself into her green sweater like a turtle out of embarrassment for her little freak out.

"A little," she mumbled into her chest and then felt Faiths finger on her forehead poking her as the dark Slayer spoke at her in probably the most adult voice she'd ever heard from the woman.

"She loves you silly and nobody else got it! So you better treat her good or your ass is mine!" Faith said firmly.

"And look it took her how long to figure it out and you think I'm going to come in now to mess it up?" she asked and Willow vigorously shook her head.

"I'm just asking because she's been through a lot of bad stuff, some of which I caused and I just want to be sure that you're taking good care of my sis," she went on and smiled at the witch who was now peaking up from the safety of her sweater turned turtle's shell.

"Hey I am taking super good care of her!" she exclaimed proudly with her voice getting a bit too high and then she broke into her trademark beaming smile. "Want to know a secret?" she asked with a sly look on her face and Faith never one to say no to something sneaky leaned in to listen.

"I got… a little Santa's Helper outfit as sort of an extra treat for being a good Slayer this year," Willow whispered and Faith eyes went wide as her imagination kicked in then of course Willow hit her on the shoulder.

"Bad Slayer!" she exclaimed which of course just caused Faith to burst out laughing so hard she had to roll on her side clutching her stomach.

"Oh you're taking very… good care… of her… Red… super… in fact!" Faith managed to gasp out and just as Willow wanted to sink into her sweater again there was a knock on the doorframe.

"Who is taking super good care of whom now?" Buffy asked loaded down with bags and looking at the rather odd scene in front of her; Faith laughing her ass on the bed of while Willow just seemed to give up and pull her sweater up over her head.

"What? Did I miss something?" Buffy asked as Willow just shook her covered up head refusing to speak and Faith couldn't stop laughing long enough to give her a straight answer.

Backing away slowly from the two crazy women in her bedroom Buffy decided to just put this all down to Christmas stress and wondered if there were any cookies left downstairs.

Half way down the stairs she smiled as she heard Willow lay into Faith with a pillow shouting at the Dark Slayer to stop teasing her. Then she double checked that the small box was still in her jacket.

"Love you," she called out and in between Faith's laughter and Willow's well aimed pillow blows she got her reply: "Love you too!"

**When does it ever end?**

_p.s. Yep I love writing this, but like I said before there is no real story here, just me doing these cute Holiday scenes._


	3. Chapter 3

_The Author speaks: I love doing father and daughter sweetness scenes between Buffy and Giles so here is some of the good stuff _

**Chapter 3**

"Willow would you do me the honor… no-no that won't work," Buffy muttered pacing back and forth in the basement where she'd gone under the pretense of hiding some gifts. Also threatening any that would dare to follow with swift and brutal punishment if she even heard that door opening.

"Willow I love you! Marry me?" she tried that one on for size and just shook her head. Holding up the ring in the box she just pointed at it, then at herself and then at the imaginary Willow with a manic grin on her face.

"What you say?" she asked in her best used car salesman voice and then just giggled at how silly and shit scared she was being about all this.

"Oh poop this is going to be so hard," she whined burying her face in her hands. "Ouch!" she then yelped poking herself on the nose with the ring. Slumping down against the washing machine she stared at the ring her hands while blowing a lock of hair out of her eyes.

It had seemed so easy at the mall: Buy ring, finish shopping, come home, celebrate Christmas and propose to Willow. Leave it to the old doubts to kick in half way through her master plan.

"This is going to be so hard," she repeated to herself and banged the velvet box against her head.

"What's going to be so hard?" a familiar sounding British accented voice asked from atop the stairs and Buffy jumped to her feet while she also tried to quickly hide the ring behind her back.

Blushing a bit hoping that she'd not been caught practicing proposing to an imaginary Willow in the basement, because that would not look good at all or sane for that matter.

"Giles you're back… I mean thought you were in England I mean…" she babbled hoping if she said enough things he wouldn't remember what he'd asked.

But she also couldn't help a small smile at seeing the man who had become her father figure over the course of the last decade gingerly make his way down the stairs with a haul of bags.

"Flew in this afternoon and sneaked in the backdoor. I thought I would hide some gifts before Faith and Dawn noticed my arrival," he explained and smiled at his Slayer. The young woman that over the years he'd come to regard has his daughter even though neither would ever bring it up.

"So what is so hard?" he asked again and raised an eyebrow at her as if trying to use it to coax the answer out of her.

"This… is hard," Buffy muttered a bit sheepishly producing the black velvet box containing the ring from behind her back.

"Oh my. Yes I can see how that would be quite hard," he stammered a little and Buffy could hear and see that the poor man was so out of his depth, but at least he understood right away what she meant just as any good father would.

"I just… I just want it to go well you know and well I'm not getting any younger," she joked and smiled weakly at her Watcher who couldn't hide a small frown. She felt a pang of guilty hit right away at the face he pulled at her lame joke.

"Sorry bad taste, but I just saw it and I thought that it was perfect," she explained and ran her finger over the emerald set into the ring.

Stepping up to her Giles did the only thing he could think of. He wrapped his arms around the petite blonde girl in a tight fatherly hug and kissed the top of her blond head.

"You'll do great," he whispered and felt the petite girl hug him back with bone crushing strength causing him to grunt in slight discomfort, but the stiff upper lip prevailed.

"But Giles what if she says no? What if she just throws the ring at me and turns me into a toad?" she asked her mentor sounding genuinely afraid. With all her doubts know gnawing at her as she realized the true scope of what she planned to do this Christmas Eve.

"Buffy listen to me. You wouldn't have bought that ring if you weren't sure deep down she'd say yes," Giles tried to reassure her and looked down at her with his best I'm proud of you and you can do anything expression on his face.

Buffy smiled back and nodded her head. Her eyes lighting up as she smirked at her British father figure as an idea struck her.

Stepping back a little from him she looked up at him with her best pretty please look on her pretty face and then cutely put her hands behind her back for added effect. It was time to bring out the big guns for this one: The pout was out in full force.

Giles could see that she'd just had one of her ideas. Thanks to his vast experience he could tell that it looked to be one of those ideas that usually involved him stepping out of his comfort zone in one way or another.

"Giles… I'm not sure how the wedding will work, but when it happens… will you be there for me?" she asked almost bashfully. "You know do the father of the bride slash groom… sort of thing with me?" she managed to get out before the power of speech fled her and she blushed bright red.

Giles stared at his long time charge, friend, Slayer and dare he say daughter. His face broke into a proud and fatherly smile as he put his hand on her shoulder.

"Of course I will Buffy. I'd be honored to either stand by your side or lead you down the aisle. Whatever you need of me I'll do for you," he diplomatically replied.

Then Buffy did the one thing that always seemed to make all the troubles in this life worth it for him. She broke into her beaming smile and threw her arms around him. For a moment all was good in the world that was to say until she started crushing his ribcage again.

_p.s. as always I'll write more when the mood takes me as this is my freewheeling Christmas story, but tell me if you want me to plow on and make Buffy drop to her knees next chapter ;)_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Christmas morning came as Buffy woke up before Willow which was a rare occurrence indeed. She slipped out of their bed quiet like a mouse before freezing in panic when a green elf hat with bells on it fell on the floor with a jingle. She glanced at her red headed girlfriend who thankfully just rolled over and hugged their sheets.

Unable not to smile at the sight of sleeping lover cuddling the bedding she pulled on a blue robe and scoop up the discarded green hat from the festivities the night before.

She tip-toed towards the stairs her ears picking up on the chorus of snores echoing from various rooms. The house was full of friends and family now and Christmas would be upon them soon. She came to a stop in front of a picture of her mom that hung on the wall by the stairs. Looking up it she smiled and touched her fingers to the glass.

"Wish me luck mom," she whispered at the picture before she slipped downstairs and into the kitchen.

Once in the kitchen she set about making a very unhealthy hot chocolate and cookie based breakfast as quietly as she could. Laying out the cookies and sweets she whistled Deck the Halls as she worked. Occasionally she'd slip her hand down into the large pocket on the blue robe to check on the box containing Willow's ring, just to be sure it was still there.

She filled up Willow's favorite mug with hot chocolate and put exactly six marshmallows in it before placing it on the kitchen table. She arranged cookies in Star of David shape on a plate for her and then she pulled the elf hat out of the robe's pocket and put it on her head before sitting down.

She leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes with her hands behind her head as she waited for the time to pass. She could hear the clock on the wall ticking away and her stomach started to knot up as she practiced what she was going to say over and over again in her mind.

Soon the smell of chocolate goodness became too much so just as Buffy leaned in and sipped her hot chocolate she looked up to see Willow walk into the kitchen in a matching green robe, while in a rather unladylike fashion scratching the back of her head and yawning.

"Merry Christmas," Buffy said in a sweet voice and smiled at her girlfriend who in turn leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. Then with flick her finger she made the bells on the blonde woman's elf hat jingle.

"Merry Christmas to you too," she replied looking into Buffy's loving eyes before hungrily glancing at her laid out cookies spread out in a star shape. "Aww that's so sweet, but still cookies for breakfast?" she asked while somehow being cute yet sensible at the same time.

"Hey it's Christmas, the Holidays or whatever you call it," Buffy replied with a shrug that made her elf hat jingle once again. Willow just smiled at girlfriend of six months and sipped her chocolate after dunking a cookie in it.

"So want to tell me why you're up before everybody else and being a domestic goddess?" the red head asked after a long but comfortable silence consisting of dunking cookies and sipping cooling chocolate.

"You know that's just one of the many reasons I love you so much; you don't miss a thing," Buffy smiled at Willow and reached into her pocket pulling out the black velvet box that contained the ring she'd bought two days ago. "And it is because I love you so much that makes this so easy," she said added.

Willow's eyes went wide as Buffy slipped of her chair and onto one bended knee in front of her. Looking a bit silly with that green hat on her head but somehow it all worked. Clearing her throat she pushed blonde lock of hair out of her eyes as Willow tried to stammer something in reply but no words came out.

"Willow you've been my best friend since the day we met. You've been the greatest girlfriend in the world for the past six months and you're frankly just the most awesome person ever. You accepted me even after it took me almost ten years to get my head on straight enough to see what was right in front of me all along," she said and opened the box showing Willow the ring she'd bought.

By this time Willow had both hands over her mouth while staring down at her girlfriend with wet and glistening eyes and all she could get out was a muffled: "Eep!"

"So I guess what I'm trying to ask you and please oh please say yes because I would like to ask you, Willow Rosenberg to marry me because I'm tired of being afraid of what tomorrow brings," Buffy babbled a bit in getting to the point, but she got there in the end and afterwards there was a long silence.

"I… I… wow… I mean nobody ever. Oh fiddle sticks!" Willow started to babble but managed to stop and then taking a deep breath before yelling out her answer: "YES!" and sticking out her hand so Buffy could make it official.

Buffy now so full of nerves fumbled to get the ring out of the stubborn hold of the box. Taking Willow's hand gently while shaking all over, almost afraid the other woman would vanish she slipped the band on slender pale finger and then kissed the soft skin of her _fiancée_**'**s hand. She then looked up at her Willow and was greeted by a beaming smile that could melt ice and somehow made all the worrying over the past few days seem so insignificant.

"Ahem?" Somebody cleared their throat behind them. Buffy looked over her shoulder, somehow tearing her gaze from Willow's and she saw Faith, Giles and Dawn standing in the kitchen doorway, the two younger perhaps wisely women using the British gentlemen as a human shield just in case.

"Congrats and all that, but can we get our breakfast now?" Faith asked with her dark-hair pulled into a hasty ponytail. She scratched her growling stomach wearing just a skimpy white tank top and what looked like grey "borrowed" boxers and sport socks.

Dawn however just looked between Willow and then to Buffy. Then she wordlessly with a serious face on her pretty face walked over to the red head sporting her new engagement ring and hugged her. Then Buffy slowly got up and hugged them both.

"So… G-man busy tonight?" Faith cheekily asked Giles while sucking some chocolate of her fingers. The Dark Slayer clearly a bit fed up with the love-fest in front of her. Still Giles did look handsome in his blue flannel pajamas so how much of the question was a dirty joke we may never know. This was of course met by a chorus of: "Ewww Faith gross!"

**Merry Christmas Everybody!**

_p.s. As to my "other" story I've got a chapter and a half waiting for my Beta Reader to stop being social over the Holidays and read it over :)_


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